Speed warning system



July 29, 1941. J. c. WEAVER 2,250,514

SPEED WARNING SYSTEM vFilee't Jan. 25, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet l 131? zzaATTORNEYS July 29, 1941. J. c. WEAVER y 2,250,514

SPEED WARNING SYSTEM Filed Jan. 23, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 @fai/2615 wy aINVENTOR ATTORNEYS Patented July 29, 1941 SPEED WARNING SYSTEM James C.Weaver, Harrisburg, Pa., assignor, by

mesne assignments, to Samuel Snyder, Harrisburg, Pa.

Appiication January .23, 1939, Serial No. 252,452

1 Claim.

My invention relates to automotive vehicles, and has among its objectsand advantages the provision of an improved excessive speed indicator.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure l is an elevational view of my invention in association with thesignal circuit which is diagrammatically illustrated;

Figure 2 is an elevational view partly in section of the governorcontrolled switch mea-ns;

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 illustrating the governor inanother position;

Figure 4 is an end view of the governor mechanism in association withone section of its housing;

Figure 5 is a view taken substantially -along the line 5-5 of Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary detail view similar to Figure 5; and

Figure 7 is a fragmentary detail view illustrating one of the switcharms in `cross section.

In the embodiment selected to illustrate my invention, I make use of aspeedometer I0 which may be of the type employed in automotive vehicles.speedometer usual flexible drive cable l2, in which cable I interpose aspeed responsive unit I4 for closing the circuits through signal lampswhen the vehicle exceeds a predetermined high speed. Referring toFigures 2 and 3, unit I4 includes a governor shaft I6 having square ends|8 for connection with the ends of the drive member 20, as at 22 inFigure 3. Upon the shaft I6 I mount a collar 24 having groups of spacedarms 25 between the arms of each group of which I mount a lever 28 forpivotal movement about the shaft 3D. Each lever 28 carries a Weight 32at one end, while its opposite end is bifurcated at 34 for the receptionof one end of a link 36 pivotally connected thereto at 38. The oppositeend of each link is pivotally connected at 4U with ya collar 42 keyed tothe shaft I6 for rotation therewith but movable longitudinally thereon.

Collar 24 is xedly related to the governor shaft I6, while a key 44restrains the collar 42 from relative rotary movement on the shaft.Between the collars 24 and 42 I interpose `a compression spring 45, oneend of which lies in a short bore 48 in the collar 24 while its oppositeend lies in a bore 5|) in the collar 42. slotted at 52 for accommodatingone end of each of the links 36.

The governor mechanism is enclosed in a housing 54 comprising sections56 and 58 fianged at 50 and connected into a unitary structure |0 isprovided with the "i Collar 42 is (ci. 20o-so) I the bearing 64, whilethe opposite end of the key terminates adjacent the offset wall 66 ofthe partition 68 formed integrally with the neck 'l0 eX- tendinglaterally of the section 58. Thus the governor shaft I6 is restrainedfrom relative long'itudinal movement with respect to the bearing 64 andthe bearing l2 which supports the other end of the shaft. plate '|4anchored to the neck 'l0 through the medium of screws 16. Figure 3illustrates the adjustment of the governor under little or no speed,

while Figure 2 illustrates the governor at a maXimum speed.

Collar 42 includes a peripheral recess '|8,y and between the peripheralwall 80 and the inner face of the neck 'i8 I mount a collar 82 whichincludes a flange 84 lying in the recess 18. Collar 82 slides freelyrelatively to the neck l0 and carries a flange 86 which extends inwardlyof one face of the collar 42 so as to cross with the flange 84 to holdthe collar 82 in connected relation with the collar 42. However, collar42 may rotate freely relatively to the collar 82. Flange 86 is securedto the collar 82 by screws 88.

Figure 3 illustrates the neck 'l0 as being provided with two thre-adedbosses 98 for the reception of connecting elements 92 which secure theflexible cables 94 to the bosses. Each exible cable encioses an electricwire 86 connected With a terminal screw 98 carried by an insulatingsleeve |88. Each terminal screw 88 includes a contact head |02. InFigure 1, I illustrate one of the wires 86 as being connected with amanually actuated switch |84 arranged to be moved into conductingrelation with the termin-al |06 connected with a wire |08 leading to theammeter lli). The latter is connected with a wire ||2 leading to asource of current ||4 grounded at I5. The other wire 96 is connectedwith a wire i8 leading to a lamp |20 grounded at |22. Lamp |26 islocated in any advantageous position at the rear of the vehicle forexcessive speed indicating purposes. Wire ||8 also leads to `a signallamp |24 grounded at |26, which lamp is located in any suitable positionon the forward part of the vehicle for excessive speed indicatingpurposes. A wire |28 connects the wire |8 with a pilot lamp |30 whichserves an indicating function for the driver of the vehicle. Lamp |30 isgrounded at |32. Lamps |20 and |24 should embody a contrasting color forexcessive speed indicating pur- Bearing |2 is carried by ay poses, suchas blue or other color which distinguishes from the usual red lampsemployed in connection with stop and tail lights.

The circuits through the lamps |20, |24 and |30 are closed through themedium of the governor mechanism, which governor mechanism is responsiveto variations in speed of the vehicle. Collar 82 is provided with asemi-circular slot I 34 within which I secure a similarly shapedconducting strap |36 having right angular arms |38 provided withcontacts |40 arranged to be moved into conducting relation with thecontact heads |02. Arms |38 extend through slots |42 in the partition68, which slots are of suicient depth to accommodate slight fiexure ofthe arms as the contacts |40 are brought into axial relation with theheads |02. Contact between the heads |02 and the contacts |40 close thecircuits through the lamps. Figure 3 illustrates the arms |38 as beingslotted at |44 to receive the pins |46 carried by the contacts, whichpins are threaded for the reception of nuts |48 which permitsl thecontacts |40 to be xedly related to their respective arms |38 indifferent positions for changing the speed responsiveness of thegovernor mechanism with respect to opening and closing the electriccircuits at different vehicle speeds.

Coupling members 92 are in the nature of nuts, each provided with a lug|50 bored for the reception of a seal wire |52 passing through anopening in a lug |54 formed on the neck TU. The ends of the wire |52.are provided with the usual sealing element |56. Thus the couplingmembers. 92. are made secure against tampering in that the couplingmembers cannot be removed for the purpose of unloosening the wires SB.Similari-y, the plate 14 is provided with lugs |58 and the. neck isprovided with lugs |50 which cooperate with the lugs |50 for thereception of seal wires |10 provided with seal elements |12. Thus plate12 cannot be removed so as to protect the contacts from adjustmentthrough unauthorized tampering.

Without further elaboration, the foregoing will so fully illustrate myinvention that others may, by applying current knowledge, readily adaptthe same for use under various conditions of service.

I claim:

In a speed indicating signal of the type described, a governorcomprising a housing having a drive shaft rotatably journaled therein, atransverse partition in said housing and having openings, contactscarried by said housing for connection with wires of a signal circuit, afirst collar keyed on said shaft for rotation therewith but movablelongitudinally thereon, speed responsive means keyed to said shaft andhaving operating connections with said rst collar for moving the latterlongitudinally of said shaft upon rotation of the latter, a secondcollar slidable inside said housing longitudinally of said shaft, saidfirst collar being rotatable relatively to said second collar with thelatter connected with the rst collar to be moved therewith in itsmovement longitudinally of said shaft, a pair of switch arms fixedlyconnected with said second collar and electrically connected, saidswitch arms extending through the openings in said partition, and secondcontacts carried by said switch arms and normally spaced from saidfirst-mentioned contacts, said second contacts being arranged to bemoved into circuit closing engagement with said first-mentioned contactswhen said lswitch arms and said second collar are moved a predetermineddistance by said rst-mentioned collar.

JAMES C. WEAVER.

